Multiple Personalities Support Group
Dissociative identity disorder is a diagnosis described as the existence in an individual of two or more distinct identities or personalities, each with its own pattern of perceiving and interacting with the environment. At least two of these personalities are considered to routinely take control of the individual's behavior, and there is also some associated memory loss,...
My cousin, who just turned 18, moved out of her parents' house a year ago because her dad was abusing her. They deny that anything ever happened. She's been in and out of the hospital a lot this past year for suicide attempts and such. She's just not doing so great.
A few weeks ago she ended up in the hospital again. I've been helping her out a lot since she moved out (since she was 16 and I'm the only one in the family who believed her). So when I was asking her about what happened we discovered that she can't remember most of the week before she ended up in the hospital. She overdosed on a Monday, but doesn't remember most of the entire week before that.
I've been kind of questioning her and finding out more these past few weeks. She seems to have had more of these memory lapses, which she didn't realize until now. A few other things that have happened, that she's said, that she's done in the past year have made me wonder . . .
I know I'm not an expert or anything, but I do live with this, and it seems like she's been dissociating, and maybe has alters that she is unaware of.
It's scary how similar our stories are. But I don't know how to help her.
What should I do? How can I get her help? Or help her to figure out what's going on?
She said she told her therapist about not remembering, but he just brushed it off. Didn't even really say anything about it. So I'm not sure he's going to be much help . . .
A few weeks ago she ended up in the hospital again. I've been helping her out a lot since she moved out (since she was 16 and I'm the only one in the family who believed her). So when I was asking her about what happened we discovered that she can't remember most of the week before she ended up in the hospital. She overdosed on a Monday, but doesn't remember most of the entire week before that.
I've been kind of questioning her and finding out more these past few weeks. She seems to have had more of these memory lapses, which she didn't realize until now. A few other things that have happened, that she's said, that she's done in the past year have made me wonder . . .
I know I'm not an expert or anything, but I do live with this, and it seems like she's been dissociating, and maybe has alters that she is unaware of.
It's scary how similar our stories are. But I don't know how to help her.
What should I do? How can I get her help? Or help her to figure out what's going on?
She said she told her therapist about not remembering, but he just brushed it off. Didn't even really say anything about it. So I'm not sure he's going to be much help . . .
I understand forcing memories is not a good thing. And I'm working through that myself right now.
I just feel lost. It's like I'm questioning myself. I have DID. I've been working through all this crap for years now. Shouldn't I have some sense of how to help her?
I'm glad you want to help, but you can't take the whole thing on by yourself. Maybe you can help her find a good therapist.. also, just continue to be her friend.
I remember when I moved out of my family of origin and on my own. I was not prepared for life. I got suicidal too. I felt sooo alone, and I didn't have social skills necessary. Friends are treasures. Try to avoid getting into a codependency, as that is not a healthy friendship. Perhaps you can both seek recovery and balance.
You can relate and talk about things , support one another... You can use it as a learning lab for building healthy, fulfilling relationships.
For me, having someone I can practice building trust with, explore myself with is therapeutic... Without trying to be a therapist... in a friendship it can be more organic.
I know I can't do everything. But it hurts to see her going through this. Especially since I can relate so closely.
I don't have many in my life who gave a crap or still do about my DID, just my GF and my T...please be there for her and u can have that good relationship which is based on friendship and trust and u know that u will understand her whatever it's and it takes and she can pour her heart out to u whatever its and whatever it takes..give her time..let her breathe and let her come out with what she wants to share on her time and her own...
it's so nice to read that u are going to be there for her and helping her thru this..i am sure she appreciates it...